Newark, OH – The American Trakehner Association (ATA) is pleased to announce its 2008 Awards of Merit. The awards were announced at the ATA convention this fall. Additional details on the awards can be found on the ATA website at www.americantrakehner.com. The Koenig/NowPac Young Riders’ Dressage Award is a monetary award presented to the highest scoring junior/young rider competing in dressage on an ATA Trakehner or part-Trakehner horse. The 2008 recipient is Laura Noyes of Delaware, OH. Noyes...

Lexington, KY —Over the past decade, the United States Equestrian Federation has bestowed special Pegasus Awards for media excellence on an array of talented journalists, photographers and publications. As time progressed, new categories reflecting the developing and ever-changing world of media have been added to fully honor and celebrate the members of the press, media outlets and freelance artists. Within this group of devoted and hardworking individuals and publications, we find the heart...

Tara Gamble of Edmonton, Alberta, is the new president of the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA). Gamble has over 17 years of industry teaching experience instructing Western, English and jumping lessons. She is a CHA Master Clinic Instructor and was awarded Clinic Instructor of the Year in 2006, and is a certified Site Visitor and Site Visitor Trainer, which is used for the accreditation of equestrian facilities. Gamble was recently designated a professional horseman with the American...

Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) has announced the details of the second national conference to focus on ending soring of Tennessee Walking Horses and all gaited horse breeds. The conference is being held March 20-21, 2008, at the Paramount Plaza Hotel in Gainesville, FL. Soring is a cruel and illegal practice used to create a winning gait for the show ring. The purpose of the conference is to bring together a wide complement of experts, research and resources to address alternatives and...

One of the most exciting American Saddlebred promotions of the year will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 24, 2008, at the Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C. The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. In honor of this event, the American Saddlebreds have been invited back once again to perform in Washington, D.C., as they did 36 years ago. American Saddlebreds will perform an exciting exhibition before a spectator...

Lexington, KY - The USEF High Performance Reining Committee has innovative plans for 2008. Chaired by Jerry Kimmel and boasting a prolific group of reining experts, the committee is focusing on fundraising and promotions of its programs. Looming on the radar screen are the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010 in Lexington, KY, which marks the first time the Games have been held outside of Europe. The U.S. Reining Team will be attempting to defend the Team Gold Medals won at the past two...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association's (ASHA) Annual Meeting and Youth Conference will be held Thursday–Friday, February 14-16, at the Embassy Suites in Lexington. The weekend ends with the annual Saddlebred Ball at Keeneland Race Course. Open meetings and forums with committees begin Thursday, as is customary, and the Charter Club Council will also conduct a workshop. Thursday evening is highlighted by a Welcome Reception sponsored by the FEI & Emerging Disciplines Committee. Friday...

“The Campaign for the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) National Education Center (NEC) has been a big success. We have also made a very good start towards building a long-term endowment,” announced USDF President Sam Barish during the Adequan/USDF Annual Convention, held in Orlando Florida, November 27-December 2. USDF has been tremendously successful in its first capital campaign effort, having secured campaign commitments of over $4.1 million that, when paid, will fully satisfy all...

The newly created FEI Safety Sub-Committee held it first meeting in London on June 18, 2007. The committee is chaired by international rider and course designer David O’Connor (USA). Members include Chris Bartle, international rider and trainer of the German National Eventing Team; Laurent Bousquet, international rider and chairman of the French National Federation Safety Commission and trainer of the Belgium National Eventing Team; Yogi Briesner, trainer of the British National Eventing Team;...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian is pleased to announce it is now accepting applications for licensed official development grants. Applicants must be active USEF competing members and a USEF licensed official or have an active licensed official application. Grants are intended to reduce financial barriers for USEF or U.S. FEI officials to complete application requirements related to a new license application or a license promotion. Individuals can apply for grants in one of two categories –...